Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she moved to Australia to play a featured role in the Australian production of Hair. Hines was then approached to play Mary Magdalene in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Hines became the first black woman to play Mary Magdalene, and achieved a second major success.
A record contract followed and her first single released in 1974 was a cover version of James Taylor's "Fire And Rain". Most of her hit singles were released between 1976 and 1979, and included her cover versions of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", and The Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and "What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line). Her biggest hit was the single that made number 2 in the charts in Australia: "You"; an up-tempo dance song, later covered in the United States by Rita Coolidge.
She continued to record and achieved a few more hits including the dance track "Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees" in the eighties. "Flashdance, What A Feeling" (originally recorded by Irene Cara), and "Time of Our Lives" were both hits for Hines in 1999.
Many Rivers to Cross
Marcia Hines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can`t seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost as I travel along
The white cliffs of Dover
Many rivers to cross and it`s only my will
That keeps me alive
I`ve been licked, washed up for years and,
I merely survive because of my pride.
It`s such a drag to be on your own
My woman left and she did`nt say why
Well I guess, I gotta try.
Many rivers to cross but where to begin,
I`m playing for time
There`ll be times when I find myself thinking
Of committing some dreadful crime.
I`ve got many rivers to cross
But I can`t seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost as I travel along
The white cliffs of Dover
Many rivers to cross and it`s only my will
That keeps me alive
I`ve been licked, washed up for years and,
I merely survive because of my pride.
"Many Rivers to Cross" by Marcia Hines is a song that tells a story of a person who is struggling to find their path and purpose in life. The rivers that are mentioned in the song represent the obstacles and challenges that the person is facing. The first line, "Many rivers to cross but I can't seem to find my way over," indicates that the person is feeling overwhelmed and stuck. They are unsure of which path to take and how to overcome the obstacles in their life.
The line, "Wandering I am lost as I travel along the white cliffs of Dover," suggests that the person is wandering and lost in life. The white cliffs of Dover are used as a metaphor for the person's journey, highlighting the uncertainty and vastness of their journey. The following line, "Many rivers to cross and it's only my will that keeps me alive," emphasizes the importance of willpower and determination in overcoming challenges.
The line, "I've been licked, washed up for years and, I merely survive because of my pride," suggests that the person has faced difficulty in the past and has been defeated, yet they continue to survive due to their pride. They do not want to give up and surrender to their challenges, and they're determined to keep fighting.
The song is ultimately about the struggle to find one's path in life and overcome the challenges that come along the way. The lyrics inspire listeners to stay determined and persistent when facing adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Many rivers to cross
I face many obstacles in my life
But I can't seem to find my way over
I am struggling to overcome these obstacles
Wandering I am lost as I travel along
As I go through life, I feel lost and aimless
The white cliffs of Dover
A reference to a place that represents the unknown
Many rivers to cross and it's only my will
It is only my determination keeping me going through these obstacles
That keeps me alive
My will is what is keeping me alive
I've been licked, washed up for years and,
I have faced failure and hardship for a long time
I merely survive because of my pride.
I am surviving because of my self-respect and dignity
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
I feel isolated and alone in my life
It's such a drag to be on your own
Being alone is a burden and difficult
My woman left and she didn't say why
My partner left me without an explanation
Well I guess, I gotta try.
I must keep trying to move forward in my life
Many rivers to cross but where to begin,
I am unsure of where to start overcoming my obstacles
I'm playing for time
I am buying time to plan out my next moves
There'll be times when I find myself thinking
I will have moments of doubt and negative thoughts
Of committing some dreadful crime.
I will consider doing something bad or desperate to escape my challenges
I've got many rivers to cross
I still have many challenges to overcome
But I can't seem to find my way over
I am still struggling to get past my obstacles
Wandering I am lost as I travel along
I am still searching for direction in my life
The white cliffs of Dover
The unknown still looms ahead of me
Many rivers to cross and it's only my will
My determination is still what keeps me moving forward
That keeps me alive
Without my will, I would give up and not survive
I've been licked, washed up for years and,
I have faced failure and hardship for a long time
I merely survive because of my pride.
I hold onto my dignity and self-respect to keep me going
Writer(s): Jimmy Cliff
Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Funky' Furballs
Her voice has so much character... starts almost like Fantasia... then it soars into something different.
Marc Jacobs
Great job she did with this one. Great job!
John Lawson
Great song, great voice, great discovery. I only wish I could see her do this live instead of lip-synched.
Javier Lara
Wow what a beautiful voice,I felt on heaven,her voice and the chorus are awesome.
Javier Lara
Thanks for check my comment,just came from my heart,please check my song:Javier Lara follow me until the end and please keep safe.
rick
That voice!👌
hubertgunpowder
Beautiful !! ♫
Ton van der Zalm
Such a beautiful song 😍😍😍
Daniela Pearson
I first heard this song in the 1994 movie 🎥 Jason’s Lyric....very beautiful rendition 🎶🎶❤️❤️
Martha Aounallah
What a great and wonderful voice she has !!!!! And a very awesome song with totally amazing music
👌🌟🌟🌟🌟❤❤❤🏰🌅🌹🌹🌹🌹🍀🍀💘💘